Buildings constructed since the early 1940s and continuing to the present, especially single family houses and multifamily buildings, are frequently constructed with metal framed windows and doors securely mounted to a wooden supporting structure. The metal-to-wood joint is usually sealed with stucco on the exterior surface and joint compound/plaster or other trim material in the interior surface.
These windows were typically glazed with single pane glass which is considered unacceptable under present standards for energy efficiency. As styles for building design evolved over time, these metal framed windows have become unacceptable for aesthetic reasons as well.
In the current economic market it is often desirable to remodel existing buildings and homes as a cost effective alternative to building or buying new homes. One of the most popular remodeling goals is to replace the old style, energy inefficient windows with current style, energy efficient multipane windows. The removal of the old windows however, normally requires major defacement of the building exterior which, in turn, requires major restoration after replacement with new windows.
In the past practice of building construction, windows, and doors as well, were relatively permanently attached to the building's structure with nails or screws. No provision was made for replacement of these components with newer components. Especially in stucco and masonry exterior construction, the fasteners were normally covered by the exterior finish.
The normal practice for replacing these components is to break or cut away the covering material, remove the component by prying and breaking it out, replace the removed component with a new component, and then patch the exterior and interior surfaces. Patching old surfaces such as weathered stucco and brick is rarely done without leaving highly undesirable visible changes in texture or color.
In addition to the aesthetic shortcomings of the current practice, the time required to accomplish the removal and restoration is normally hours at best, sometimes days. The work usually requires several craftsmen, typically a carpenter for the removal and replacement and a plasterer or mason, and a painter, for the restoration. In practice, the scheduling difficulties for the several craftsmen may require several days to the complete task.
The more time and effort required, the higher the cost of window replacement. When several windows are to be replaced, the client must balance costs against budget, frequently choosing to replace less than the total number of windows desired in order to remain within budgetary constraints.
The prior art does not suggest any alternative tools or methods for minimizing the destruction of the surrounding surfaces, expediting the procedure or minimizing costs when remodeling involves the removal and replacement of metal framed windows and doors. One patent related to the roof construction art, embodies in a limited manner in a different context some of the concepts of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,992 (Allen) discloses the use of a clamping plier and attached leveraging device to apply tension to membrane-like, sheet materials spread over roofs in the construction of the final weather resistant covering. The device disclosed by Allan operates over a short, fixed range of travel desired for removing wrinkles from the membrane. In use, the device is positioned sequentially along an edge of the membrane and tension applied at each point to stretch the material. The use of a clamping plier facilitates the repetitive attachment of the device to the material. Allan does not suggest that the apparatus can be used on removal operations, that it may be adapted to operate over a large range of distances by the use of a cable or chain operating around a capstan or sprocket, nor that the range of movement may be extended beyond that achieved by a single stroke of the lever handle.
Windows may be large such as picture windows or small such as bathroom windows. Doors, such as patio doors, may be single or double width, and may be as wide as 16 feet. It should be not that windows may be located on second and higher floors of a multi-story building. Thus, in the practice of removing and replacing windows and doors of differing sizes and shapes, tools must adapt to varying dimensions and window and door locations in order to accommodate the needs of the craftsman.